Edouard Chapallaz

Edouard Chapallaz (1921–2016) is one Switzerland’s most important contemporary ceramic artists. This book is the first comprehensive survey of his life and oeuvre, which has had a lasting impact on ceramic art in Switzerland and beyond.

Chapallaz is famous in particular for the formal power of his works, his mastery of glazes, and the depth of the artistic research underpinning his approach. In his highly personal language, traditional craftsmanship, technical experiment, and sculptural ambition converge. His often monumental forms reflect a constant engagement with the properties of clay, the effects of fire, and the expressive possibilities of ceramic surfaces.

The essays in this volume shed light on the evolution and context of Chapallaz’s art as well as its aesthetic and technical challenges, richly illustrated with images of works, studio photographs, letters, and other documents from archives. An illustrated chronology traces the artist’s life. Previously unpublished texts by Edouard Chapallaz himself, offering insight into his thoughts on materials, glazes, and firing techniques, round out this beautiful volume.

Text in French.